Several off-duty police officers on a cross-state bicycle ride for charity were struck in a collision in western Indiana today, according to Indiana State Police. A box truck rear-ended a sag wagon, sending the smaller vehicle into the line of 10 riders. Two of the riders, including former Lake County (IL) Police Chief Gary Martin, were killed.

The collision occurred near Covington, Indiana, just north of the locally famous Beef House restaurant on the Indiana-Illinois border. According to local cyclists, the road is a four lane divided highway with light traffic, great sight lines and wide shoulders. The sag wagon had flashers on; it was a bright, sunny day on a straight flat highway.

The cyclists were participating in a 1,000 mile charity ride raising money to support families of police officers slain in the line of duty for Indiana Concerns of Police Survivors.